Status message

(a)Purpose of SNAP. SNAP is designed to promote the general welfare and to safeguard the health and well being of the Nation's population by raising the levels of nutrition among low-income households. Section 2 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 states, in part:

Congress hereby finds that the limited food purchasing power of low-income households contributes to hunger and malnutrition among members of such households. Congress further finds that increased utilization of food in establishing and maintaining adequate national levels of nutrition will promote the distribution in a beneficial manner of the Nation's agricultural abundance and will strengthen the Nation's agricultural economy, as well as result in more orderly marketing and distribution of foods. To alleviate such hunger and malnutrition, a supplemental nutrition assistance program is herein authorized which will permit low-income households to obtain a more nutritious diet through normal channels of trade by increasing food purchasing power for all eligible households who apply for participation.

(b)Scope of the regulations.Part 271 contains general information, definitions, and other material applicable to all parts of this subchapter. Part 272 sets forth policies and procedures governing State agencies which participate in the program. Part 273 describes the eligibility criteria to be applied by State agencies and related processing requirements and standards. Part 274 provides requirements for the issuance of coupons to eligible households and establishes related issuance responsibilities. Part 275 sets forth guidelines for monitoring SNAP, analyzing the results and formulating corrective action. Part 276 establishes State agency liability and certain Federal sanctions. Part 277 outlines procedures for payment of administrative costs of State agencies. Part 278 delineates the terms and conditions for the participation of retail food stores, wholesale food concerns, meal services, and insured financial institutions. Part 279 establishes the procedures for administrative and judicial reviews requested by food retailers, food wholesalers, and meal services. Part 280 explains procedures for issuing emergency coupon allotments to certain victims of disasters unable to purchase adequate amounts of food. Part 281 sets forth guidelines for designating Indian tribes as State agencies. Part 282 provides guidelines for initiation, selection, and operation of demonstration, research, and evaluation projects. Part 284 provides for a nutrition assistance program for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Part 285 describes the general terms and conditions under which grant funds are provided to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Final rule; notice of approval of Information Collection Request (ICR).

The ICR associated with the Automated Data Processing and Information Retrieval System Requirements: System Testing rule published in the Federal Register on January 2, 2014 (79 FR 5), was approved by OMB on April 7, 2014.

7 CFR Parts 271, 272, 274, 276 and 277

Summary

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is announcing the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of information collection requirements contained in a final rule published in the Federal Register .

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is adopting as a final rule, without substantive changes, the proposed rule that amends the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regulations to implement Section 4121 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill), which requires adequate system testing before and after implementation of a new State automated data processing (ADP) and information retrieval system, including the evaluation of data from pilot projects in limited areas for major systems changes, before the Secretary approves the system to be implemented more broadly. The rule also provides that systems be operated in accordance with an adequate plan for continuous updating to reflect changed policy and circumstances, and for testing the effects of the system on access by eligible households and on payment accuracy. This final rule specifies the requirements for submission of a test plan, and changes the due date of an Advance Planning Document Update (APDU) from 90 days after to 60 days prior to the expiration of the Federal financial participation (FFP) approval, and revises language regarding the federal share of costs in consolidated information technology (IT) operations to specify that the threshold for service agreements applies to federally aided public assistance programs, rather than to SNAP alone. In addition, this rule amends SNAP regulations relating to the establishment of an ADP and information retrieval system and to provide clarifications and updates, which have occurred since this section was last updated in 1996.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

Final rule; notice of approval of Information Collection Request (ICR).

The ICR associated with the Automated Data Processing and Information Retrieval System Requirements: System Testing rule published in the Federal Register on January 2, 2014 (79 FR 5), was approved by OMB on April 7, 2014.

7 CFR Parts 271, 272, 274, 276 and 277

Summary

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is announcing the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of information collection requirements contained in a final rule published in the Federal Register .

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is adopting as a final rule, without substantive changes, the proposed rule that amends the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regulations to implement Section 4121 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill), which requires adequate system testing before and after implementation of a new State automated data processing (ADP) and information retrieval system, including the evaluation of data from pilot projects in limited areas for major systems changes, before the Secretary approves the system to be implemented more broadly. The rule also provides that systems be operated in accordance with an adequate plan for continuous updating to reflect changed policy and circumstances, and for testing the effects of the system on access by eligible households and on payment accuracy. This final rule specifies the requirements for submission of a test plan, and changes the due date of an Advance Planning Document Update (APDU) from 90 days after to 60 days prior to the expiration of the Federal financial participation (FFP) approval, and revises language regarding the federal share of costs in consolidated information technology (IT) operations to specify that the threshold for service agreements applies to federally aided public assistance programs, rather than to SNAP alone. In addition, this rule amends SNAP regulations relating to the establishment of an ADP and information retrieval system and to provide clarifications and updates, which have occurred since this section was last updated in 1996.